55 Quick Tips To Cut Your Wedding Budget

This is it! You are about to embark a new and exciting part of your life. Planning your dream wedding can be taxing, stressful yet fulfilling and exciting. With this rollercoaster kind of emotions, things can get out of hand and yes, this includes your wedding budget.

Good thing, we have newlyweds who are willing to share their tips on how to save money on your dream wedding. Check out the list we have compiled for you to help you how to save and budget for a wedding so you can enjoy and savor every step of the way.

At the Beginning of Your Wedding Planning

Have a long engagement, ideally one to two years. This will help you decide the essentials you’d like to retain for your wedding and those add-ons you’d be willing to let go. This will also help you not to decide right away and make last-minute decisions that can blow your budget out of proportions.
Research and shop around for wedding vendors. Be open to negotiate rates and fees. Get as much as five quotes of your top choices per vendor and always have this in writing.
Ask family and friends if they are keen to help. Do you have a friend who knows how to bake a cake? A family member who can do your hair and makeup? Don’t hesitate to ask for their help as an alternative wedding gift.
In deciding for a wedding date, why not choose an off-peak season and a weekday. Off-peak rates and weekday rates are often the cheapest.
Are you doing a DIY wedding? Make sure to canvass the right prices and materials for your DIY wedding. In some cases, DIY can be more expensive than those already made by wedding vendors.
If you can avoid shopping around things that are over your budget, please do. This can easily blow your wedding budget.

wedding budget

Images are by Abi Hackling Photography

In Choosing Your Photographer & Videographer

Consider choosing a simple photography package. What is important is that you have the important moments documented with your family and friends.
Instead of hiring a photographer for the whole day, why not only for a few hours. You can always ask your wedding guests to snap a lot of photos throughout the wedding day.
If you have a photographer in mind that you liked but can’t afford, ask them if they have a second shooter who can do your wedding for a lesser fee.
With a limited budget but would love to have a videographer onsite? Consider hiring a promising student from a local film school. You might be surprised at how well they can take your wedding video to the next level.

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On Finding the Right Venue

Consider having both your ceremony and reception in one location. This will help you save on transportation fees and other hire charges.
To avoid extra transport fees and charges, choose a location that is within your area. You will also find cheaper rates if you hire local vendors.
Choose an off-peak date. Venues often give discounts on dates that aren’t popular compared to holidays and weekends.
Consider a non-traditional venue like a vacation house, a vineyard, a restaurant, a rooftop or even your backyard. Not only it will give your wedding that uniqueness but it will also help you save money instead of choosing those event venues that cost higher.
Find a venue that doesn’t need extensive decorating. A good example of these is restaurants and gardens.
To save money on food, chair, and table rental, you can opt for a small wedding in a restaurant.
Always ask for what’s included in the rental fee. Some venues include rental of chairs, tables, and linens, and some even include photobooth and basic sound system. Knowing these beforehand can save you thousands of dollars that you can use with other wedding essentials like photography and catering.

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On Wedding Decorations

Lush greenery instead of blooms. They are less expensive and can adapt to any venue.
When buying wedding decorations, consider using it at home too after the festivities. You can also opt to re-sell it to brides-to-be online. There are many wedding related Facebook groups [insert MKW Facebook group link] where you can sell your used items.
Instead of printing individual copies for your wedding guests, opt for a chalkboard or framed poster to display your ceremony program, menu or seating chart.
Use your wedding favors as table centerpieces. It can be jars filled with delectable treats or a potted flower or herbs that your wedding guests can bring home.

On Wedding Stationery and Paper Goods

If you can avoid sending printed invitations, consider creating single-page invitations to save on postage.
Opt to send Save-The-Date invitation via email.
Make your own invitation cards, menu cards, and escort cards. You can ask a designer friend to help you design your invitation card or you can buy a downloadable template and have them printed at home or in a printing shop. You’ll find yourself saving a couple of hundred dollars compared to having a pro design and print your invitation and other paper goods.
Not only this will save you cost on wedding stationery but having escort cards double as your wedding favors will also save you time and effort.

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On Bridal Dress and Shoes

Consider buying sample gowns. While not everyone will consider a store-bought bridal dress, but if you are on a tight budget, you can score a discount on stores that sell sample gowns.
Don’t forget to check department stores. Check out their party dress and formal dress section, you’ll be surprised to find white dresses that can pass as a bridal dress with a fraction of a cost.
If you are not too picky, you can also check out shops that sell secondhand bridal dresses. There are many online shops that cater to pre-owned wedding gowns that you can choose from.
For your bridesmaids, go and shop with your girls during end-of-season sales. With so many styles to choose from, you and your bridal party will surely enjoy the experience.
For your accessories, you can borrow these from a family member or friend. This can give more meaning to your overall bridal look, especially if it is handed down by a family member.
Choose inexpensive shoes especially if you are wearing a full-length gown. Your shoes won’t be visible on photos under that long skirt.

On Bridal Hair and Makeup

Ask help from family and friends if they can do your hair and makeup. This will not only save money on your wedding but it will also bring happy memories as you look back on your wedding.
Learn how to apply your own bridal look by visiting a makeup artist at your local department store.

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On Wedding Guests

Keep your guest list small. This will help you save thousands of dollars on food, rentals, and drinks.
As much as possible, limit the plus ones. You can sit your single guests beside people whom they know or have similar interests. Encourage them to mingle and win new friends!
To limit the number of your wedding guests, don’t invite colleagues from work or acquaintances or people you haven’t spoken in the last five years.

On Wedding Flowers

Repurpose your ceremony flowers instead of buying more for your reception.
Shop for flowers that are in season. Opt for larger blooms for a luxurious feel and look without the hefty price that goes with it.
If you are not that picky, choose just one or two kinds of flowers for your wedding. You may also use lush greenery to create a full look without compromising your budget.
Combine non-floral pieces such as fruits, seashells, candles, and many others.

On Wedding Reception

Consider having a lunch or cocktail party. It is way cheaper than having a dinner reception.
If the choices above are not possible, offer a buffet, a family-style meal, or a food station to your wedding guests where they can mingle with other guests.
Hire your own caterer. Most of the time, the caterer provided by the venue often costs more.

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On drinks and desserts

Want an elaborate wedding cake without compromising your wedding budget? Put fresh seasonal flowers as your cake topper.
Instead of serving dessert, why not offer your wedding cake as the main sweet treat. Most of the time, wedding cakes are used for decorations rather than being a sweet treat.
Book a wedding venue that permits bringing your own drinks such as beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks. This way you’ll save on paying corkage fees.
Stick to one to a two-tier wedding cake. The more tiers mean it’ll cost you more.
Consider buying grocery bought cakes. Select a simple design and dress it up with fresh flowers.
Instead of having an open bar, stick to beer and wine to save you money. Always simplify your drinking options to lower drinking costs.
Offer a non-traditional dessert at your wedding reception. Try serving ice cream or pastries instead of cakes.

On Transportation

Instead of hiring a bridal car from a wedding vendor, why not consider a friend’s car and ask a family member to drive for you on your wedding day.
Think more creative ways to arrive at your wedding ceremony or reception like using scooters or even a tractor if your family owns one.

On Wedding Entertainment

Have a friend or a family member be in charge of the wedding reception’s music. Select the music you’d like to hear on your reception and have it played using an iPod.
If you’d like to have a band at your wedding, opt for a smaller band that can play both the wedding ceremony and reception.
Want classical music played at your wedding reception? Why not hire classical students from a local college or university to provide ambient music for dining and mingling? They are less expensive than hiring bands.

Planning for your wedding can be a little complicated especially when you are working on a budget. But with this collection of tips on how to cut your wedding budget, you can definitely walk your way to the altar worry-free, stress-free and pocket-full of savings. Download our free MKW budget tracker so you can record all your expenses and stay within your wedding budget.

Do you have other quick tips on how to cut your wedding budget? We’d love to hear it! Share your comments and suggestions below.

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